That’s three of Drury’s nine players, though Huber was hopeful all three would be available for today’s home game against Missouri-St. Louis. Tip is set for 5:45 p.m. at the O’Reilly Family Event Center.

Drury (14-1, 6-1 Great Lakes Valley Conference) will try to continue its best start since the 2005-06 season and win for the 19th time in 20 meetings against UMSL (11-4, 4-3).

Even if the Lady Panthers have to do it short-handed.

“When the year started, we knew this could happen. We’ve got to get creative as coaches and make sure we’re not wearing anybody out,” Huber said. “What people don’t understand is that we’ve had people banged up for two weeks now.

“But that’s every team in America. It’s not an excuse and I’m not going to use it as an excuse. It is what it is, and we’ll get through it.”

The thinned out roster has created more opportunities for senior Amber Dvorak, and the 6-foot-7 post has taken advantage.

The graduate student has averaged 17.7 points a game in Drury’s seven Great Lakes Valley Conference games and scored 30 against William Jewell last week in her first start in place of Williamson, who missed the game because of illness.

The big game made Dvorak DU’s leading scorer at 14.5 points a game despite averaging just 18 minutes per game.

“I think we just all have to step up when someone’s sick or beat up. Just like we did against William Jewell. We just have to be there for each other,” Dvorak said. “Like practice today, Sanayika kind of sat out and everybody had to step up and work through things because she’s a big voice for us.”